Real Salt Lake 3 vs New England Revolution 3
February 17, 2016; Kino Sports Complex
2016 Preseason
Man of the Match: After they went down a man, Real Salt Lake turned to its top players to be top players and Javier Morales responded well. He converted the PK after Joao Plata was taken down for a penalty and assisted on the second goal from Jamison Olave to equalize the match. His play set the tone for his teammates as they battled back to eventually take the lead.
Telling Stat: Three. That’s the number of goals Real Salt Lake scored while down a man against New England. Dealing with a two-goal deficit and playing with 10 men, RSL was still able to storm back and take the lead in the 77th minute. Over the course of that 30 minutes, RSL played a focused defense and was opportunistic in the attack, a good indication of what the team can be when at its best.
What You Missed: Even while playing an extended period with 10 men, Head Coach Jeff Cassar used just two subs, pushing his starting lineup for the full 90 minutes for the first time this preseason as the team gets ready for a Champions League meeting with Tigres.
So What: This was the most important match in Real Salt Lake’s preseason as it gave Cassar an extended look at his top lineup moving into the opening phase of the season. There are still clear deficiencies, but Cassar was confident after the match that they can be addressed as the team becomes more of a finished product.
